


Dark Deliverance

by Romantigoth



Series: Vampire Copia [1]
Category: Ghost (Sweden Band)
Genre: Copia, F/M, Vampires, cardinal copia - Freeform, ghost the band - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-05-20 23:25:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19386571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Romantigoth/pseuds/Romantigoth
Summary: Will you get that new job as a caretaker for a mysterious man in Sweden? And why does it feel so foreboding?





	1. The New Job

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic EVER. So be nice, please!

"So this guy has a sunlight allergy? Like the kids in The Others?" she said.

"Yeah. I don't know how bad it is though or if he has to wear, I dunno, a space suit or something," you reply. 

"And you said he lives in Sweden?"

"Yeah. I really hope I get the job because I've always wanted to go to Europe. But there's probably a lot of people applying. I'm so tired of working with terminal people. It's draining."

"I can only imagine."

"I'll let you know when I know, I guess."

"Well, if you do get it, we need to hang out before you leave, okay?"

"Sure thing, jellybean!"

The woman on the other line laughed. 

"Okay, byeee!" you say.

"Bye!"

Your friend Alyssa hung up. This job application was getting you more excited than it should, as you probably wouldn't get it--a caretaker for a wealthy disabled man in someplace in Sweden--a town you'd never heard of and weren't sure you were pronouncing correctly. It'd be cool if he was a vampire, you thought, staring at a Dracula salt shaker on your table next to your laptop. Wouldn't that be nifty. You'd been researching sunlight allergies on the internet for a couple of weeks, and there were apparently some different kinds. You didn't have much information on this person. A month earlier you had been emailed an application about a "private, wealthy individual in Sweden needing a caretaker."

You had been a caretaker for terminally ill senior citizens for the last three years. It wasn't glamourous work, but it paid the bills. At first you weren't going to apply, or at least until you saw it was in Sweden and "all expenses paid." The idea of leaving your hometown, family, and friends filled you with excitement and a substantial amount of anxiety. 

You turned up the volume on your laptop, blasting Rammstein's newest album on Spotify, and got up to load the dishwasher.

"Was ich liebe..." you mumbled along to the chugging music.  
After completing your chore, you walked over to the calendar hanging on the kitchen closet wall. Two more days until you would know if you got the job.

Well, it was almost time to leave for work. Dressed in black scrubs, you grabbed your keys, purse, and turned off your computer. Today you were taking care of Rosa until 8:00, when the night nurse would come. Rosa mostly spoke Spanish, which you spoke enough of to get the gist of what she was saying, and she had dementia. She was thankfully, one of the quieter ones.

Twenty minutes later you arrived at Rosa's small home and pulled into the driveway. The night nurse was walking out of the house and updated you on everything that happened that night.

"I just gave her her morning meds, so you don't have to worry about that. Also, she had an accident this morning too, so her stuff's in the laundry, but you'll need to put the sheets back on the bed," she said.

"Okey-dokey. Thanks, Irene. See you tonight."

You stepped into Rose's humble home. Rose was sitting in the living room, staring absently at the television.

"Hey Rosa. Como estas?"

She didn't look at you. Typical. You put your things on the kitchen table and set about vacuuming the carpets and cleaning the bathroom. That afternoon, you mostly watched television with Rosa, doodling your dark little characters on a piece of paper. After dinner, you got her ready for bed. While helping her up onto the mattress of the hopistal bed, she turned and looked at you. She didn't do that often. 

"Hay maldad a tu alrededor. Yo no me iría," she spoke.

You didn't understand much of what she said, except that the prefix of "mal" in "maldad" probably meant something bad. You smiled and nodded.

"Okay Rosa, hora de acostarse. Bedtime." 

She looked around and her gaze became unfocused again.

"Si..." she mumbled. You dimmed the lights and were about to sit in an adjacent lazy-boy chair and work on a word puzzle when the doorbell rang. It was Irene, the night nurse.

"Hey! How was she today?" Irene asked.

"Good, good. Talking about something 'maldad' just a minute ago. What's that mean?"

"It means 'evil.'" She gave you a wry look.

"Well, that's never good," you chuckle. "I thought it was something along those lines. Well, I will see you tomorrow."

You walked to your car, unlocking the door when you heard a snap behind you. You spin around, expecting to see Irene telling you that you had forgot something.   
No one was there.

That's not creepy at all, you sarcastically think to yourself.

When you get home, you check your phone as you get ready for bed, slipping on some comfortable shorts and an old t-shirt that said "Bite me" with a mouth that had a fanged grin printed on the front.  
A message.

Pressing speakerphone, you play the message and listen to it while brushing your teeth.

"This is a phone call for [Y/N]. I'm Harry Almanns and I am an attorney for Mr. Copia of Sweden. I know this is earlier than you may have expected, but my client wishes to inform you that he is interested in hiring you to care for him at his estate here in Sweden. I'll be sending an email..."

The rest faded out as you fist-pumped the sky. Yes! You get to go to Sweden! Holy crap. Deep breaths. The message continued to say that you would be receiving an email tomorrow explaining your job duties and how you would make the trip in a month, giving you enough time to wrap up your affairs here in Colorado. 

That night, your mind was racing. You rolled over in bed. Sweden. Wow. This could be really cool or really scary. Probably both, you thought. You rolled over again and fell into a restless sleep, dreaming about walking through your neighborhood knowing that you were being followed by someone. A figure who lunged at your neck before you woke up in a night sweat.


	2. Dark Deliverance Chapter Two: Jetlagged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On your way to Copia's Estate.

Note: [Y/N] means "Your Name."  
\---------------------------------  
You had arrived in Sweden early that evening. Tired, sore, and jetlagged, you hauled your luggage to the area of the airport where you were to be picked up. Your eyes found an older, silver-haired man in a black tuxedo and cap holding a sign with your last name on it. He looked at you as you walked over to him, luggage in tow.

“I’m [Y/N]. I’m guessing you’re Mr. Copia’s driver,” you said, out of breath.

“Yes, I will be taking you to the Cardinal’s estate. May I take your bags?” he said, gesturing at your rolling suitcases.

“Uh, the Cardinal?”

“Yes. Did he not mention that when you got the job?”

“No, it was only ‘Mr. Copia.’”

The driver paused and extended his hand.

“How rude of me! I’m Rodolfo—the Cardinal’s driver. How was your flight?”

You took his soft gloved hand and shook it.

“I’m [Y/N].” I guess you would call me the Cardinal’s live-in caretaker now,” you reply. Rodolfo grabbed the handles of your two suitcases and began walking towards the exit.

“Yes, the Cardinal is a quiet man. Humble, even. He’s not very comfortable with his title in the church.”

Church?

“So he’s a Cardinal in the Catholic church then?” you asked. Rudolfo stopped and laughed.

“Not exactly, but there are a few aesthetic similarities. You’ll see when we get to the estate—everything will make more sense.”

You and Rodolfo approached a sleek black car that you thought looked like a hearse from the 1940s. There wasn’t a single blemish on it. Rudolfo opened the door for you to the backseat and you marveled at the leather interior.

“This is definitely the coolest car I’ve ever been in,” you said to Rodolfo as you slid into the backseat while he placed your luggage in the trunk.

“The church insists on only the finest for its clergy and leaders.”

Ten minutes later you were approaching the edge of the city, which dissipated into a green forest. It was beautiful and reminded you of the mountains you camped in as a child.

“It’ll be twenty minutes before we reach the Cardinal’s estate, so I can answer any of your preliminary questions if you want,” Rodolfo said.

“So you mentioned the Cardinal works for a church. What denomination?”

“The Church of Ghost,” he replied solemnly.

“Well, I can’t say I’ve heard of that one!”


	3. Dark Deliverance Chapter Three: An Introduction to the Estate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sister Imperator shows you around the estate.

The car wound its way through forested hills, finally rounding a curve that opened to a manicured lawn. In the center of the grass was a large grey manor with black roofs. Gothic in style and architecture, it loomed over a fountain with a large marble devil grappling and triumphing over an angel. A gravel driveway ran in-between the house and fountain in a curve. You looked at your phone, which automatically adjusted itself to Swedish time. 5:46, it said. The sun was beginning to set over the leafy trees of the surrounding foliage.

"Is this it?" you asked Roldofo.

"Yes, this is Copia's estate. It used to be a castle some hundreds of years ago and has been in the hands of the church for a long time."

You were in awe. Your first castle. In America, there were no real castles, and you had never been abroad before. The car pulled into the curved driveway, just in front of sharp steps leading to the double-door, which was made of wood and had two gargoyles-faced door knockers holding large rings of iron. You noticed all the windows were dark. Rodolfo parked and you exited the car, feet crunching on the gravel. You took two of your bags and Rodolfo opened the trunk with a pop and grabbed the rest of your luggage. He hauled the rolling cases up the stairs and knocked with one of the pewter rings hanging from the gargoyle's mouth, you trailing behind him. An older woman opened the door. She had a short silver bob and was wearing a black blazer and pencil skirt. She kissed Roldofo on the cheek and then looked at you, clapping her hands together.

"Good to see you, Roldofo. Right on time as always."

"And it is good to see you, sister."

"I assuming this must be [Y/N]," she said gesturing in your direction. You nodded and gave a small wave.

"Well, come in, come in!" 

The woman opened the door wider and Roldofo stepped inside, luggage in tow. You took a deep breath to steady yourself and entered the manor. There was no light coming in from the darkened windows, but you could still see through them like the tinted lens of a pair of sunglasses. The room opened up into a parlor. It was filled with curious objects--shelves with crumbling books and tomes, a donkey-esque metal mask that looked like some sort of torture instrument, and a black leather chaise. The older woman closed the door behind you and your eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"I'm Sister Imperator. It's wonderful to make your acquaintance," she said, warmly shaking your hand. "And this is the Cardinal's estate. You know about the Cardinal's condition, yes?"

"He's photosensitive," you replied.

"Yes, which is why all the windows have been tinted, obviously. Let me show you to where you will be staying." 

Sister Imperator gestured for you and Roldolfo to follow her down a long hallway. You could hear the rolling suitcases on the hardwood floor. She walked around a corner and stopped.

"This wing will be your quarters."

"Wing? You're serious?" you gaped.

"Yes, wing. The Cardinal wishes for you to be comfortable. Now, the wing consists of four rooms. In here is your living room." 

Sister Imperator opened a large wooden door to a large, elaborately decorated room. The floor was wood, but was mostly covered in ornate rugs. The wallpaper was an orange-red with black damask patterns swirling on it. There was a piano with a bench, two high-backed armchairs, and a Victorian-styled couch. One wall had a fireplace, above which was a flat-screen television. There was a long coffee table in front of the couch and a mahogany desk in the corner. The walls had metal sconces each containing three staggered candles. The ceiling had a modest chandelier.

"Oh my, gosh. I feel like Belle from Beauty and the Beast or something. This is beautiful," you said. Sister Imperator smiled.

"Well, if you like this, you'll be pleased to know the rest of the manor is quite similar. Now, follow me to your bedroom, if you will." 

You, Roldolfo, and the sister exited the living room and went across and down the hallway to another wooden door. Sister Imperator opened it. The walls were painted an almost-black shade of purple. A queen sized bed with a detailed antique headboard lay in front of you, with ruffled black sheets and several decorative pillows. You noticed the windows weren't tinted in here, but they did have curtains. A vanity with a small stool sat in front of the window, bathing it in natural light. Two small nightstands flanked the bed. On the right side were two doors. Sister Imperator opened one door.

"This will be your closet." 

It was much larger than any closet you had ever had, and stacked in the closet were the boxes of possessions you had mailed over since there wasn't any way to take them on the plane.

"As you can see, everything you had sent over arrived a few days ago. Oh, and please leave your luggage in here."

Roldolfo rolled the suitcases to the foot of your bed and sighed. 

"This is when I must go," he said to you, extending his hand.

"Thank you so much for everything," you replied, shaking it.

"Oh, you'll probably see me around sometime. But goodbye for now, yes? I can show myself out, sister." You waved as he turned around and left the room, his heels clicking on the hard wood floor as he walked down the hall and away.

"If you'll follow me, you can see that this is your bathroom," Sister Imperator said as she opened the second door. As you stepped inside, your mouth dropped at the most elegant bathroom you had ever seen. It was way better than any bathroom you had seen on those home renovation shows. Dark chocolate floors were surrounded by dark walls with a gold metallic burnish. Some silver pipes rose from the center of the room about three feet upwards, and came to an end with the faucets over a shining black clawfoot tub. A long horizontal mirror was on one wall with a chest of drawers, a marble countertop with a sink, and a black toilet. Again, the windows only had curtains. There was a chandelier with fake candlelight coming from it. There was a large sable desk with drawers underneath it facing another mirror with a small chair for you to apply your makeup in.

"Holy..."

Sister Imperator smiled. "Well, there's nothing holy about this place, but I'm glad you like it. The Cardinal wanted to make sure you were comfortable since you've come from so far to help him." She gestured for you to follow her, which you did after first setting your bags on the bed. You exited the bedroom and went back into the hallway, into a room next to the living room. 

"This is your kitchen," said Sister.

The walls were a dark khaki color and all of the cabinetry was a rich brown. Two gothic windows (again flanked by curtains) stared at you like two large eyes. The countertop was a brown, flecked marble with a farm sink. Plants hung from the ceiling and there were small pots of herbs sitting on the counter. 

"The Cardinal has a bit of a green thumb," Sister Imperator said when she noticed you looking up at the plants. "Those ones up there are actually Jasmine plants. Did you know they bloom at night?"

"I did actually. Seems appropriate for someone who's photosensitive."

The Sister chuckled. 

"Yes, I thought so too. Over here is your fridge, complete with a freezer. You can see it's stocked with some basic essentials. The Cardinal didn't know what you like to eat, so he got a little of everything."

"Oh, this is plenty. More than enough," you replied as you stuck your head in the fridge filled to the brim with different foods. 

"Over here is where he keeps the trash, plates are in that cupboard and silverware in this one. Cleaning products are under the sink--"

"Do I need to make the Cardinal dinner tonight, too?" you interrupted. 

"Oh no, don't worry about feeding him. He's very particular in what he eats and prefers to prepare it himself in his quarters. Tonight you just need to worry about yourself and your recovery from what I'm sure was an exhausting journey here."

"Okay. Yeah, there were three layovers on the way."

Imperator shook her head.

"I personally despise flying," she said. "I'd much rather drive. Now, this binder you see here has all of your tasks that need to be done around the house, instructions on where everything is, and the rules that have been put in place for the Cardinal's health."

She patted a black binder sitting on the counter.

"Speaking of the Cardinal's health, I noticed some of the windows were tinted and some just had curtains."

"Ah, yes. The tinted windows are areas the Cardinal regularly frequents. Other places, such as your quarters, are kept isolated by doors so one can have the curtains open during the day."  
Imperator looked at the clock. It was six-fifteen.

"I need to be at a church function by six-thirty and need to leave now. The Cardinal requested that you stay in your wing of the house for tonight, as he doesn't want you exploring the entire place on your own. He should be showing you around more tomorrow. I think I have covered everything you need to know for now. Do you have any questions?"

"Um, where are the cooking pots?" you asked.

"Oh! There's right in here," she said, placing her hand on a cabinet. "Feel free to eat whatever you want tonight. And you won't be having any chores tonight or tomorrow until you learn the layout of the place, so no need to worry about that."

You nodded and walked with Sister Imperator to the parlor where she paused as she opened the front door.

"I do hope you enjoy it here. The Cardinal really needs some assistance around the house. He's a busy man and in my opinion, has been devoid of any meaningful human interaction for too long. Good night, [Y/N]."

"Good night, sister."


	4. Dark Deliverance Chapter Four: Acclimation.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your first night at the estate.

Sister Imperator had left for her meeting, leaving you alone in the kitchen. You looked around, unsure of what to do next, and saw a black leather binder on the countertop with your name labeling it in elegant slanted writing in a golden ink. You walked over, opened it, and began to read. 

“Preface: This folio contains all of the daily requirements this estate needs to remain like a well-oiled machine. There is a list of chores that need to be done daily. Some days have unique chores that are only performed once weekly. On the next pages, you will find some simple maps of this home and each room labeled for your ease. The following pages contain what chores are to be done on what days. It is mainly maintenance of the home and greenhouse that I require from you. Groceries are delivered once weekly and there is a notepad upon the side of the refrigerator for you to fill out with what you need for the next week. Please have this list filled out by Thursday night, as the groceries will be purchased Friday morning. 

Sister Imperator has presumably told you that for tonight and tomorrow, you will have the days off so that you may get unpacked and acclimated to your new surroundings. I will, however, ask you to interact with my domesticated rats, which you will find in the library. Feed them a little of the fruit or vegetables in the kitchen. The next page contains a photo of each rat, its name, and a short assessment of their personalities, likes, and dislikes since I won’t be able to introduce you to them myself.”

It all appeared to be handwritten. Even the maps you saw as you flipped through the other pages were drawn in a tea-colored ink. Whoever wrote this had skills. And patience. 

This Cardinal guy really loves his rats, you thought. There were tabs along the edges of the pages separating the mapped pages from the pages about where everything was located in the kitchen to a section on the greenhouse and more. 

Meticulous.

Well, I should get the rats out of the way first. You walked over to the refrigerator, opening it to find it fully stocked with meats, cheeses, fruits vegetables, condiments, and even the lactose-free milk you had requested. You grabbed a cantaloupe and set it on the counter, flipping through the folio to the kitchen section, which instructed you on where to find a cutting board and knife sufficient for the task. After locating what you needed, you cut the melon into two halves, and then cut the halves into curved slices, putting two slices on a plate for the seven rats the pages mentioned. With the plate in one hand and the binder turned to a page containing the map to the next floor on which the library was located, you exited the kitchen and the lights, detecting your motion, turned off behind you. Up the stairs and there you stood, on the bottom floor of the library, which was two stories tall and had a balcony going around the second one. Yup. Like Beauty and the Beast. In the center of the bottom floor were a few leather couches, tables, and chairs. A spiral metal staircase led up to the second floor. The wall had a large mantled fireplace and a chandelier dangled from a long chain on the ceiling. You turned to your right and saw several cages had been turned into a large structure, connected by plastic tunnels. You could hear the small noises of tiny claws clicking through the tunnels. Walking closer, you saw the cages were quite clean and had a large assortment of things which the rats could nestle in and lots of stimulating toys. When the rats noticed you coming, they all congregated in the bottom center cage, jumping over each other. They were apparently used to being fed on a schedule. 

“Hi guys,” you said, setting the folio down on a table and opening the cage, slipping in the pieces of cantaloupe and watching them eat it with their greedy little hands. You counted seven of them. Lucky seven, you thought. Picking up the folio again, you flipped to a page containing pictures of the creatures, under which were their names. Socrates, Barlow, Sunday, Fletcher, Dante, Lovecraft, and Elizabeth. You stroked their heads with your fingertip and waited for them to finish nibbling on the fruit before you removed the rinds and set them back on the plate. 

“You guys really liked that, huh?” 

Two of them blinked in seemingly acknowledgement as the rest dispersed throughout the cage. The one named Barlow licked your fingers with a tiny velvety tongue.

“Aw, thank you, mister.”

You closed the cage door, picked up the plate, and returned to the kitchen to dispose of the scraps in the trashcan. You weren’t that hungry, so you decided to call it a night, even though it was only just barely seven o’clock. With the folio in hand, you walked back to your room, the sunset shining pinks and purple hues into your bedroom. 

After digging through some of the cardboard boxes, you found some worn grey pajamas. You found your brush in your suitcase as well as some makeup-removing wipes, your face wash, and a large black clip to hold your long hair up. You grabbed what you needed and headed into the bathroom, setting them on the marble countertop and starting the bathwater, which you adjusted until it was hot, but not steaming. You were very excited to use a clawfoot tub for the first time, like the one you had admired as a child in The Nightmare Before Christmas. You undressed and stretched before wiping your makeup off and discarding the wipe into a small trashcan next to the toilet.

The tub’s high walls allowed for you to submerge most of your body in the warm water. Only your kneecaps and from your shoulders up was out of the deep water. You turned your head to both sides, popping your neck, and rubbing out some of the knots from flying for so long. It’d been a couple days since you had been able to shower, so after having found some razors, gel, and soap below the sink, you began lathering up and tending to your grooming. The soap looked like the hand-made goat’s soap you had once found at the local farmer’s market and smelled like strawberries and cream.

You were in the tub until the water started getting cold and your fingers were pruny. You didn’t feel like washing your hair tonight—it was too much effort and you just wanted to relax. You dried yourself off with a towel and put on your pajamas. 

Going back into your room, you found your toothbrush and toothpaste, and began brushing your teeth. After you finished, you closed the curtains and turned the lamp on but the main light off. 

The bed was extremely comfortable. Must be memory foam. Laying back, propped up against some of the many pillows, you began reading through the rest of the folio and came across a few curious things. 

One of which was that you were not allowed in the basement, as those were Copia’s private quarters. He didn’t want them cleaned or anything? Another was that you were to prepare “infusions” for him. What did they mean? Blood infusions? Infusions of ketamine or some other medication? And a third odd thing was that you were to remain on the property unless “a case of emergency or if otherwise instructed, for your own safety.” You sort of felt like a prisoner after reading that. I mean, you were up in the mountains. Were there wild animals in Sweden capable of eating a person?

You’d find out tomorrow, you thought as you set the book on your nightstand table, grabbed your stuffed black cat that was falling apart, and turned out the lamp, sinking into the bed and allowing your sore muscles to be overtaken by sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of the names of the rats are important to me. One is a horror movie reference--can you find it?


End file.
